Maps
Site of Iffley Mill, left bank at Iffley Lock
Iffley Mill is mentioned from the 12th century.
1445: Iffley Mill bought by Lincoln College.
1782: Iffley weir with eel bucks and water wheel -
Ifley weir, eel-bucks and water wheel, 1782.
1791: Samuel Ireland -
Iffley Mill, Samuel Ireland, 1791
... a delightful range of verdant scenery, Oxford
still remaining in view, till we reach the village
of Iffley, about a mile and a half below
the city.
This enchanting spot is a combination
of all that is desirable in picturesque
landscape. It is situated on a beautiful eminence,
commanding an extensive distance,
which includes every object in ths university ;
the scene is completed by the meandering
course of the river beneath, on the banks
of which, immediately under the eye, is a spacious mill, worked by the current of the
stream, which gives a happy foreground to
the rural objects above.
From such an assemblage, what a complete selection of parts
for the pencil of a Hobbima or a Ruysdael !
The admirers of English landscape, will, I
flatter myself, receive some gratification from
the annexed sketch, which, being faithful,
will convey a tolerable idea of the beauties
of the scenery.
THE church of Iffley, on the summit, is a
fine remain of the Saxon style of building,
particularly its portal, which is richly decorated.
1837: Iffley Mill, in Memorials of Oxford by James Ingram -
The MILL. — The picturesque appearance of Iffley Mill has often attracted the notice of artists ; and a portion of it is here given in a woodcut, from a beautiful drawing by Mr. Mackenzie. There has been a mill here almost from time immemorial. In the survey of 7 Ed. I. it is noticed in conjunction with a messuage and yard- land and four acres of meadow, with a free water for fishing from the village of Iffley to the mill called Boy-Mill. But there was an annual rent of 44 shillings payable to the lord of Iffley. This mill, with the appurtenances, has long been the property of Lincoln college. The sum of £400 was given in 1622, by Sir Francis Stonor and William Wickham of Abingdon, to Philip Pitts of Iffley, for his interest in a lease of this property for sixty-one years granted by the college in the time of queen Elizabeth to his father, Arthur Pitts, before mentioned.
Iffley Mill, in Memorials of oxford by James Ingram, 1837
1870: Iffley Mill, Henry Taunt -
Iffley Mill, Henry Taunt, 1870
© Oxfordshire County Council Photographic Archive; HT1072
1885: Dickens's Dictionary of the Thames -
[Iffley Mill] has been painted in every kind of medium, and photographed in every sort of camera, till it must be as familiar to most people as Windsor Castle itself. Rarely, indeed, is there an exhibition of the Academy, or the Dudley, or of any of the water-colour societies, without at least one bit from Iffley.
1885: Iffley Mill, The Royal River –
Iffley Mill 1885, The Royal River.
1885: Iffley Mill from above, with old boat rollers, Henry Taunt -
Iffley Mill with old boat rollers, Henry Taunt, 1885
© Oxfordshire County Council Photographic Archive; HT5482
1886: Julia Isham Taylor -
To one familiar with English landscape painting there is as much need of describing the beauties of Iffley Mill as there is of acquainting a Dresdener with the composition of the Sistine Madonna.
1890: Iffley Mill, Francis Frith -
1890: Iffley Mill, Francis Frith
1891: The Stream of Pleasure, Joseph & Elizabeth Robins Pennell -
The minute you get through Iffley Lock [ going downstream ],
you see [ on the left bank ] Iffley Mill.
It is only a very old white-washed, brown-roofed mill, with a few poplars,
and water falling white below the weir;
but the composition is the loveliest you will find between Oxford and London.
Every one knows it; it has been photographed, and drawn, and word-painted,
until it is associated with the name of Oxford as is Magdalen Tower or Folly Bridge,
and there is no show-place that comes so honestly by its reputation.
1896: A young man, Arthur Thomas Green, sketched Iffley Mill while on honeymoon with his wife Rosie. He left a sketch book and his great grandson has asked that the sketch be included on this site -
Iffley Mill, Arthur Thomas Green, 1896
Copyright Stephen T Green, by kind permission
Iffley Mill, glass slide, Marriott C Morris -
Iffley Mill, glass slide, Marriott C Morris
Iffley Mill etching, Frederick Miller -
Iffley Mill etching, Frederick Miller
Iffley Mill, E W Haslehurst -
Iffley Mill, E W Haslehurst, 1935
1906: G.E.Mitton -
when we come in sight of Iffley itself we may well exclaim that it would
be hard to find a sweeter spot.
There are stone walls, thatched cottages and
farmyards, hay and orchards, elms, alders, and silver-stemmed birches; in
consequence a quiet, rural atmosphere broods over all. The cows feed down to
the edge of the river, and swallows dart about overhead, while perhaps a man
paddling a canoe shoots up and away again, his white flannels and the strength
and grace of his movement irresistibly recalling a swan.
The mill, half stone, half wooden cased, is
very ancient; the massive foundations have become like rock from their long
immersion in the running water.
There is a great quiet pool behind the lock
island, and here and there a glimpse may be caught of the square tower of the
famous church, which is not far off, but is well hidden by trees.
1906: Iffley Mill, Mortimer Menpes -
Iffley Mill, 1906, Mortimer Menpes
1908: May 20th, Iffley Mill was destroyed by fire -
Iffley Mill Fire, 20th May, 1908
1908: Iffley Mill in ruins, Henry Taunt
Iffley Mill in ruins, Henry Taunt, 1908
© Oxfordshire County Council Photographic Archive; HT10729
At the foot of the public footpath leading from Kill Lane to Iffley Lock lies a millstone, above which, set into the wall, is an inscription -
The millstone from Iffley Mill which stood here for many centuries and was destroyed by fire on May 20th 1908
Can someone check that Inscription please?
Below Iffley Lock there
is sometimes considerable current and disturbance from the weir when more water
than usual is running.
(Upstream to IFFLEY LOCK)
Introduction
Estuary
PLA
QEII Br
Barrier
Tower Br
Custom Ho
London Br
; Frost Fairs
Cannon St Rb
The Great Stink
Southwark Br
Millenium Br
Blackfriars Rb
Blackfriars Br
Waterloo Br
Charing Cross Rb
Westminster Br
Lambeth Br
Vauxhall Br
Victoria Rb
Chelsea Br
Albert Br
Battersea Br
Battersea Rb
Wandsworth Br
Fulham Rb
Putney Br
Hammersmith Br
Barnes Rb
Chiswick Br
Kew Rb
Kew Br
RICHMOND
Twickenham Br
Richmond Rb
Richmond Br
TEDDINGTON
Kingston Rb
Kingston Br
Ditton Slip
Hampton Br
MOLESEY
SUNBURY
Walton Br
Desborough Cut
SHEPPERTON
Chertsey Br
CHERTSEY
M3 Br
Laleham Slip
PENTON HOOK
Staines Rb
Staines Br
Runnymede Br
BELL WEIR
Magna Carta Is
OLD WINDSOR
Albert Br
Datchet
Victoria Br
Black Potts Rb
ROMNEY
Eton
Windsor Br
Windsor Rb
Windsor Slip
Elizabeth Br
BOVENEY
Dorney Lake
York Cut
Summerleaze Fb
MonkeyIsland
New Thames Br
BRAY
Bray Slip
Maidenhead Rb
Maidenhead Br
Below Boulters
BOULTERS
Cliveden
Hedsor
COOKHAM
Cookham Slip
Cookham Br
BourneEnd RFb
Quarry Woods
A404 Br
MARLOW
Marlow Br
Bisham
TEMPLE
HURLEY
Medmenham
Culham Ct
Aston Slip
HAMBLEDEN
Temple Is
Fawley Ct
Remenham
Regatta
Phyllis Ct
Henley Slip
Leander
Red Lion
Henley Br
Angel on Br
Landing
Hobbs Boatyard
Hobbs Slipway
MARSH
Hennerton
Bolney
Wargrave
Shiplake Rb
R.Loddon
SHIPLAKE
Sonning Br
SONNING
Dreadnought
K&A Canal
CAVERSHAM
Reading Br
Caversham Br
Reading Slip
Purley
MAPLEDURHAM
Hardwick Ho
Whitchurch Br
WHITCHURCH
Hartswood Reach
Gatehampton Rb
Goring Gap
Goring Br
GORING
Swan
CLEEVE
Moulsford
Moulsford Rb
Papist Way Slip
Winterbrook Br
Wallingford Br
BENSON
Shillingford Br
R.Thame
DAYS
Burcot
Clifton Hampden
Clifton Church
Clifton H Br
Barley Mow
Long Wittenham
CLIFTON
Appleford Rb
Sutton Courtenay
Sutton Br
CULHAM
Culham Cut Fb
Abingdon Slip
Abingdon
Abingdon Br
ABINGDON
Nuneham Rb
Nuneham
Nuneham Park
Radley Boats
SANDFORD
Rose Island
Kennington Rb
Isis Br
Iffley Mill
IFFLEY
Oxford Rowing
Isis
Donnington Br
Riverside Slip
Boathouses
Punting
Lower Cherwell
Upper Cherwell
Islip
Head of River
Salters Steamers
Folly Br
Bacons Folly
Oxford Fb
Osney Fb
Weir stream
Osney Rb
Bullstake Stream
Osney Marina
OSNEY
Osney Br
Four Rivers
OLD RIVER
CANAL
Medley Weir Site
Medley Fb
Bossoms
Perch
Trout
GODSTOW
Godstow Nunnery
Godstow Br
Thames Br
KINGS
River Evenlode
EYNSHAM
Swinford Br
Oxford Cruisers
PINKHILL
Farmoor
Stanton Harcourt
Bablock Slip
Arks Weir Site
NORTHMOOR
Harts Fb
Rose Revived
Newbridge
Maybush
River Windrush
below Shifford
SHIFFORD
Shifford Fb
Tenfoot Fb
Trout Inn
Tadpole Br
RUSHEY
Old Mans Fb
RADCOT
Radcot Cradle Fb
Swan Inn
Radcot New Br
Radcot Old Br
GRAFTON
Eaton Hastings
Kelmscott
Eaton Fb
BUSCOT
Bloomers Hole Fb
Trout Inn
St Johns Br
ST JOHNS
Halfpenny Br
Marina Slip
LIMIT
Inglesham
Hannington Br
Kempsford
Castle Eaton Br
Marston Meysey
A419 Br
Cricklade
SOURCE?
THAMES HEAD
SEVEN SPRINGS